The Fraternal Order of Police challenged Wicomico County in a recent appeal on collective bargaining lost their case on Feb. 1, 2010.
The Court of Special Appeals stated the Charter Amendment was unconstitutional as well as the Legislative Bill.
While Wicomico County Taxpayers voted to give Collective Bargaining to the FOP, the language their attorneys provided was not legal and it was wise for your County Executive as well as County Council to reject their proposal while representing YOU the Taxpayer.
Its time to go back to the drawing board and start fresh. Once the language is fair for ALL parties involved I'm confident your elected officials will agree to the proper language and intent.
More to come, I'm sure.......
Excellent reporting Joe.
ReplyDeleteI wondered why the council agreed and then disagreed. Makes sense now.
ReplyDeleteWho were their attorneys? Do they still get paid even though they cant write something legal.
ReplyDeleteYou bet they got paid. All of those officers paid them!
ReplyDeleteFOP is a joke! They're not even recognized as a legal UNION, they're just a bunch of good ole boys trying to supposedly look out for their fellow good ole boys!
They screwed up Delmar's collective bargaining too!
When are people going to learn to just sit down and discuss the issues and work it out rather than hire lawyers and organizations to represent them and while the lawyers and groups like FOP still get paid, the officers get SCREWED AGAIN!
I never donate when they call to beg, I don't believe in thier cause. But if Mike Lewis asked me for anything, he'd get it.
ReplyDelete11:53
ReplyDeleteJust who do you suppose the FOP is? a separate entity hired by law enforcement officers on their behalf? WRONG! The FOP is comprised of the law enforcement officers they represent. the FOP isn't a separate entity hired by officers, it's a medium they go through to "sit down and discuss" the issues that concern them but when sitting down and discussing them doesn't accomplish the goal, they must go through the legal measures to accomplish the goal to protect their rights and for the good of the community.
1:53, you don't believe in what cause? community service, giving back to the community? I think if you bothered to ask a member you would find out that they donate to quite a few worthy causes. Get your head out of Lewis' hind quarters. I believe the bible says you shouldn't worship false idols.
The laywer who wrote the wording to be placed on the county ballot was County Attorney Ed Baker. Then he got his retirement. Did he do this on purpose?
ReplyDeleteThis County is screwed up all the way around.
ReplyDeleteIt was all in the plan.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all Collective Bargaining is never going to ever hold up in this good ole boy county anyway. Why in the world would the FOP ever let the attorney for the other side write up any legal papers for them? Come on now who's side is he on, it is the one that lines his pockets of course (big retirement). That is more than the alot of the Deputies are getting for many more years than he has with the County. Obviously he does not know what he is doing if it was not written up legally. If these guys want anything their Sheriff is going to have to fight for them. Just about every law enforcement agency in the area (even the City Police) has LEOP's, but not Wicomico County. Why is that? Are they not worth any kind of decent retirement? The attorney got one.
ReplyDeleteQuit whining already! I agree the deputies need a good retirement but this is not the way to go.
ReplyDeleteSuing the county? How stupid of you all.The only thing it got you was spending a lot of money and you still didn't get what you want.
Didn't the attorney for the FOP sign off on the language that went on the ballad. If he/she didn't I would fire him/her.
Go back to the table and start again. You deserve it and thanks for all your effects protecting us.
It is a shame that the county has known for years what the deputies needed and wanted. They never responded. They only started to respond when pressured by a bigger issue. The current council knows how defunct the current disability system is and the lack of protection provided to the deputies and their families. The county has lessened benefits without even telling the sheriff’s office.
ReplyDeleteCollective Bargaining allows the people to come together and openly discuss the needs and wants. Law enforcement personnel are not allowed to do that. Everyone knows the saying “Two heads are better than one”. Until you have collective bargaining here you will always have a dysfunctional law enforcement organization, because this organization does not allow for the workers to be heard. You get into trouble for that. Your ideas get stopped in their tracks by people protecting their positions and image; some are those good ole boys.
This issue was taken to the people and the people clearly and loudly spoke what they want. Then the council who has the power to make this, said no. I think the county attorney knew that he helped draft a faulty ordinance. The county council did not follow the will of the voters, and went back to what they have always done, not supported their Sheriff's Dept. If it wasn't for Sheriff Lewis' big name and state backing and national connections, the Sheriff's Office would not have what they have now. They know that he can make waves for them and bring unwanted attention to them. Pollitt respected the deputies and did what was right what the voters wanted. It is a shame all this time and money has been for nothing and the deputies are still without adequate protection. I pray they do not get hurt on the job, for they may lose everything their families own in one action from a criminal we tell them to protect us from.
This action has hurt the law enforcement in this area and has hit their moral severely, knowing that they are once again without a voice and the protection they so desperately need.
The men and women of this county spoke loud and clear. Approximately 80% vote in favor of question "A". This giving the deputies the right for collective bargaining.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I see that we are all missing is that our current council dimissed the public. Some of the council actually stated " The people did not know what they were voting for" WOW they knew what they were voting for when they put your sorry ass in office, yet they did not know what they were voting for. This problem is all over the country. The Goverment is supposed to serve the people. "To serve and protect" not dictate.
I also see the county attorney E. Baker got a substancial amount of money paid into the counties retirement just after the ruling by Judge Mitchell. Again I guess the people of Wicomico County are just well stupid. I do not think so ladies and gentlemen of the current council. Bonus for screwing those that protect you from harm. Lets go a little deeper. You screwed every county employee except Pollitt and staff, yourselves, and Baker. So in turn teachers, county roads, Sheriff's Office, Corrections, Parks and Rec, Courts, Health dept.,Waste management, State's Attorneys Office who did I forget. Sorry if i missed anyone else that got furloughed or no BONUS this year.
Everyone who did not get the 50k in your retirement keep it in mind when you vote these crooked bastards out of office.
You idiots took food off of the tables of some very underpaid positions. Rewarded yourselves and a contractual employee that served other jurisdictions while working for the county. Something stinks and BAD !!!!!
So to sum it up they told the people they serve you do not know what you are voting for. We will make the right decision for you. You are not worhty of our time and effort. Basically F/U.
They then screwed every county employee, but the inner circle.
All county employees need to form a union of sorts. This is just a drop in the bucket. What do we not know about. Pens and trash cans nothing but a diversion from the real deal right Joe H.
I had your sign in my yard last election. You can bet it wont be there this year. It went on the brush pile and up in smoke. Just like you next election.
Where is Mike Lewis on this issue ?? I still think he is the one who can not be fired for doing his job. The county states they are broke. Where is the money that over sixty five deputies paid into a retirement they became vested in. What a money maker. This county never wanted a deputy to make it to retirement. How many have actually retired. I guess this is a question better posed to an attorney in Baltimore. One not on the payroll.
By the way the F.O.P. was told by the Wicomico Board Of Elections the County Attorney had to prepare the drafting of the language.
To all you county employees that will work through this "Snow Storm" stay warm and safe. You know your council will be warm and dry.
Last but not least. To the thousands that looked for Sarah Foxwell. Did anyone see one council member Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. While we the "people" gave up our Christmas to serch for a Lost Angel, a child of Wicomico they stayed "warm and dry". I think that says it all.
November is just around the corner.
The Wicomican